Molasses Crinkle Scones

Molasses Crinkle Scones have sweet molasses with fall-favorite spices of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The milk bath and sugar crystals give the surface that crinkle rustic look. More importantly, the flavor is amazing and the texture is delightful making it perfect for breakfast or snack.

Eight rustic scones.

Great year round, but these delicious scones are a fall favorite. It’s that wonderful time of year when everyone’skitchens are filled with the wonderful aroma of the holidays. Just like a Hallmark movie, people are busy baking fresh bread, cookies, cakes, and these scones, of course.

Curl up in a cozy corner with a hot drink and a warm scone slathered in butter. Sounds like heaven to me.

A scone on a plate with a hot cup of coffee.

Are Scones easy to make?

Yes, although, there are some things you should know first.

The first rule of thumb is to bake them in a hot oven, which gives the outside that crunchy crust. The preheated oven should be set at 425ยฐ.

Next, don’t over work the dough. This will make the scone flat and tough. Scones should be crumbly, dense, and lightly sweetened. The molasses gives it the perfect amount of sweetness.

Another trick is to use very cold butter. Also, chilling the scones briefly (20 min.) before popping them in the oven.

Scones with Apple Spice Butter.

Making scones from scratch.

In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together, including the brown sugar. Using either a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until it looks crumbly.

Pro Tip: freeze the butter briefly; long enough that you can grate the butter on a cheese grater. Then, stir the butter into the dry ingredients, thereby skipping the cutting and pastry cutter.

In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together, then add them to the dry ingredients. Stir this just until everything is combined. The flour may not be thoroughly mixed in, but then knead it briefly on a work surface just until the dough looks mixed. Do not over-work the dough.

Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle, then cut into 8 triangles. Place the triangles on a lightly greased baking sheet (or use parchment paper).

Process of milk bath and sugar sprinkles creating "crinkle" effect.

Putting crinkles in Molasses Crinkle Scones.

Just like in my Molasses Crinkles cookies, the surface gets little cracks and crevices, which are unofficially called crinkles.

Brush milk over the tops of the triangles followed by a sprinkle of coarse sugar crystals. Regular granulated sugar works great, too.

Lastly, bake the scones in the preheated oven for about 15 – 18 minutes.

Molasses Crinkle cookies next to a Molasses Crinkle Scone

How are scones best served?

America typically serves scones with butter. In other countries, however, it’s common to serve scones with clotted cream and jam. Without going into it, clotted cream isn’t served in American restaurants. I don’t judge, I’m just here to share recipes.

Best served warm, slice the scone horizontally and slather with butter. Try my Apple Spice Butter, it was delicious on these scones.

For those with a sweet tooth (you know who you are), add additional sweetness by drizzling honey or an icing over the top.

Also, scones are a finger food; no fork needed. You got this.

FAQ

  • What kind of molasses should I use?
    Regular molasses or dark molasses works best for this recipe because it provides a rich flavor without being too bitter. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can be much stronger and less sweet.
  • Can I make these scones ahead of time?
    Yes. You can bake the scones ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for a few days longer.
  • Can I freeze Molasses Crinkle Scones?
    Yes. Allow the scones to cool completely, then freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2โ€“3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slightly before serving.
  • Why did my scones turn out dense?
    Scones can become dense if the dough is overmixed. Stir just until the ingredients are combined and handle the dough gently to keep the texture light and tender.

If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.

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4.39 from 34 votes

Molasses Crinkle Scones

Fall favorite spices of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves combined with sweet molasses in a rustic crinkle scone.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnamon, Fall Favorites, molasses, rustic
Servings: 8 scones
Calories: 374kcal
Author: Sweet Ordeal

Ingredients

For scones:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold or briefly frozen
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup almond milk, vanilla (any milk will do)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

For crinkle topping:

  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 tsp. coarse sugar crystals

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425ยฐ. Prepare baking sheet: either cut parchment paper to size, or lightly grease.
  • In large bowl, mix all dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, and salt.
  • Cut in cold butter with pastry cutter or 2 knives until crumbly. Another method is to grate briefly frozen butter, then stir.
  • In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients: eggs, molasses, milk, and vanilla.
  • Incorporate wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stir just until combined. Do NOT over mix. Place on work surface and knead a few times to fully blend all ingredients.
  • Shape dough into 8-inch circle, then cut out 8 triangles.
  • Place triangles on prepared baking sheet.
  • Brush on milk and sprinkle sugar over tops of triangles.
  • Bake for 15 - 18 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

Serving suggestion: serve warm slathered in butter. Yummy!
Also, a simple glaze of powdered sugar mixed with a few dribbles of water creates a pretty topping.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetordeal or tag #sweetordeal!

Molasses Crinkle Scones

Try these other Fall favorite recipes: Apple Pear Cream Cheese Tart and this Harvest Dirt Trifle, which is made with Oreos, cream cheese, and pudding. Delicious and perfect for the holidays.

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Molasses Crinkle SconeMolasses Crinkle SconesCopyright ยฉ Sweet Ordeal. All content and images are copyright protected. Do not use any images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, make sure to re-write the recipe in your own words and only list ingredients making sure to link back to this post for the original recipe and directions.

4.39 from 34 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. 3 stars
    These scones were the perfect quick snack for a fall day here in the southern hemisphere. The end result tasted slightly of baking powder, but the next day they tasted better and my husband and I are enjoying them. Thanks for a fun, fall recipe!

  2. Thank you for your recipe. I havenโ€™t made scones before but your simple way of explaining is making me go for it! ๐Ÿ˜„. Not to mention that I adore molasses cookies and gingerbread that contain molasses. So I know I a, going to love these.

    Thank you for your recipe. Even though it is summer here where I live, I am on the coast and our summer temps are in the mid 60โ€™s. So I can definitely enjoy the warm spices of fall with your scones!!

  3. 5 stars
    Great recipe! I make a lot of scones, being I own a Bed and Breakfast. These were a big hit.
    I made them with buttermilk. The only thing I changed was I made 2 6-inch circles and cut into 6 triangles per circle.
    This recipe is a keeper!

    1. Thank you so much, Aunt JB, I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I also love the idea of cutting them into smaller triangles. Thanks for sharing your great ideas.

  4. My sister and I made these at Christmas. We were very excited and hopeful. Her husband could smell them baking and was looking forward to tasting them. They turned out dry and not very tasty. I have a recipe for scones I’ve been making since 1998. I was thinking of just playing with that recipe.

    1. Thank you for the feedback. Iโ€™m sorry it didnโ€™t meet your expectations, but I appreciate you trying the recipe and sharing your thoughts. Cooking methods and ingredients can vary quite a bit, so results can differ from kitchen to kitchen, but I really appreciate you trying the recipe.